Fifteen of the 20 managers in the Premier League started out coaching youth teams, reserves or part-time sides

By Gavin Willacy for Playing in the Shadows

Three Premier League teams will be led by temporary managers this weekend – and all three learned the ropes by coaching younger players at those clubs. Duncan Ferguson first coached as a volunteer in Everton’s academy under David Moyes; Hayden Mullins was working as the Watford Under-23s coach when Quique Sánchez Flores was sacked this week; and Freddie Ljungberg started his coaching career with Arsenal Under-15s back in 2006, before returning to the club to lead the Under-23s. These promotions for Ferguson, Ljungberg and Mullins mean that 15 Premier League clubs will be led this weekend by managers who started their careers with youth teams, reserves or part-time sides.

Brendan Rodgers (Watford and Chelsea), Dean Smith (Leyton Orient), Eddie Howe (Bournemouth), Sean Dyche (Watford), Ralph Hasenhüttl (Unterhaching) and José Mourinho (Vitória de Setúbal) all started their careers coaching youth teams.

Related: West Ham goalkeeper David Martin: ‘When I saw dad we were both in tears’

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